Diseases > Domestic medicine

818 buchan’s
with safety by persons skilled in surgery, we shall
aay nothing further of its use. A bougie may bo
used by any cautious hand, and will often succeed
better than the catheter.
We would chiefly recommend, in all obstructions
of urine, fomentations and evacuants. Bleeding, as
far as the patient’s strength will permit, is necessary,
especially where there are symptoms of topical inflam¬
mation. Bleeding in this case not only abates the
fever, by lessening the force of the circulation, but,
by relaxing the solids, it takes off the spasm or stric¬
ture upon the vessels, which occasioned the obstruc-
After bleeding fomentations must be used. These
may either consist of warm water alone, or of decoc¬
tions of mild vegetables; as mallows, camomile-
flowers, &c. Cloths dipped in these may either be
applied to the pait affected, or a large bladder filled
with the decoction may be kept continually upon it.
Some put the herbs themselves into a flannel bag,
and apply them to the part, which is far from being
a bad method. These continue longer warm than
cloths dipped in the decoction, and at the same time
keep the part equally moist.
In all obstructions of urine, the body ought to be
kept open. This is not however to be attempted by
strong purgatives, but by emollient clysters, or gentle
infusions of senna and manna. Clysters in this case
not only open the body, but answer the purpose of
an infernal fomentation, and greatly assist in remov¬
ing the spasms of the bladder and parts adjacent.
The food must be light, and taken in small quan¬
tities. The drink may be weak broth, or decoctions
and infusions of mucilaginous vegetables, as marsh¬
mallow roots, lime-tree buds, &c. A tea-spoonful
of the sweet spirits of nitre or a drachm of Castile